The Standard didn't violate right-of-way rules, DOT says

The Florida Department of Transportation has finished its three-month investigation into The Standard’s possible encroachment onto a public right-of-way on West University Avenue.

The department ruled there is no violation and that The Standard won't be penalized, said Troy Roberts, a state DOT spokesman.

In April, transportation officials began investigating whether The Standard's garage may have been built onto the public right-of-way and onto a sidewalk.

The transportation agency became aware of the issue back in March while reviewing the developer’s surveying paperwork, Roberts said. Transportation officials conducted a thorough investigation, he added, and reviewed permits and maps.

“It was close, but they stayed within their limitations,” he said. “When you have something this major of what could’ve been an issue … attention is a must.”

Locals have long complained about the complex’s construction, which sits close to one of the city’s busiest intersections. It will soon be complicated as pedestrians navigate the system during heavy traffic in the fall. The garage in question is closer to the road than the The Standard's residential area.

The $118 million multi-use complex sits on the corner of Northwest 13th Street and Northwest Third Avenue and stretches down to Northwest Second Avenue. The 10-story building is set to open in the fall and will feature 430 apartments with 1,200 bedrooms, nearly 1,500 parking spaces, a 140-room hotel and two rooftop pools.

The Standard is owned by Landmark Properties, an Athens, Georgia-based student apartment development company.

Its owners bought the property it’s now developing, formerly known as University Corners, for nearly $26 million back in November 2014. The complex will feature a Target and Chick-fil-A, golf simulator, racquetball court and an internet cafe.

Contact reporter Andrew Caplan at andrew.caplan@gvillesun.com or on Twitter @AACaplan.